Golf apparatus



R. E. ADAMS GOLF APPARATUS Aug. 15, 1933.

3 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1932 Aus. 15, 1933- y R. E. ADAMS 1,922,021

GOLF APPARATUS Filed Feb. 16, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ama/.p

R. E. ADAMS GOLF APPARATUS Aug. l5, 1933.

Fld Feb.

16, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3mm/vbo@ adm,

Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENr Fics 8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in playing the Oame of golf, and more particularly in playing a modified game on more or less restricted areas.

Instead of employing miniature golf apparatus as has frequently been proposed, it is often desirable to employ full size balls and clubs and to drive freely from the tee, as in a standard game,

even though the area available is so small as to make an ordinary drive impossible.

The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide apparatus for so controlling the ilight of a golf ball after it leaves the tee as to make it possible to drive freely on restricted areas such as lawns or backyards, and to play a game of golf closely approximating the standard game.

In certain of its aspects, the present invention may be considered as a further development of or of improvement upon the apparatus disclosed in my prior copending application, Serial No. 520,416, filed March 5, 1931.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying '51 drawings, forming part of this speciiication, and

in which:

Fig. l is a front view of my improved flight controlling apparatus as it appears when set upon a lawn or the like;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed section taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section through one of the frame members hereinafter described;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged detail taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective View illustrating the appearance of my improved apparatus in connection with the fairway.

The means which I employ in the present invention to control the ilight of the balls is somewhat similar in principle to that disclosed in the above identified application, that is to say,

it comprises a vertical frame 1, from which is suspended a curtain 2. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the lower edge 3 of this curtain is of curved or irregular outline or profile, instead of being straight, the particular profile illustrated comprising an upwardly curved arch at the center and depending portions at each side.

Secured to the main frame 1 is an auxiliary U- shaped frame 4, adjustable about pivot joints 4a,

and extending upwardly and rearwardly from the mid-portion of the main frame. The frame 4 50 normally lies in a plane forming an acute angle with the main frame, and by means of the pivot joints and clamping nuts 4b, this angle may be varied as required.

Secured to this auxiliary frame 4 is a second or lower curtain 5, this curtain being bent at 5a and continuing down to provide a freely hanging lower portion 5b. The upper edge of the curtain 5 is preferably secured to a flat U-shaped bar mounted upon the frame 4, the purpose of this being to avoid the formation of a hump'or bump at this point and to maintain the upper surface of the curtain 5 in a true plane.

VIn order to avoid the formation of a rigid or non-yielding structure at the bend of the curtain 5, it is desirable not to employ any transe verse supporting rod or bar at this point. The curtain'is therefore supported adjacent the bend solely at its edges, the particular supporting means illustrated in the drawings comprising suitable lacing 7 looped around the frame 4 and passing through grommets 8 in the side edges of the curtain, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, This lacing.7 also provides a convenient means for stretching or tensioning the curtain at this point, so that there is presented to the balls at the bend of the curtain a taut resilient convex surface Disposed above the inclined portion of the curtain 5`is a baffle or deflector supported on a third frame 9 secured to the frame 4. This deflector, which is preferably ilat, as shown in Fig. 2, may well consistof a piece of canvas 10, looped around supporting members il at each end and stretched between the side portions of the frame 9. Although this baille or deilector will normally lie in a substantially horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 2, it is desirable to be able to adjust it angularly, as desired. This may be accomplished by pivotally supporting the end members 11 onA bolts 12 and by providing associated clutch members 13, carried by the members r11 and the frame 9, respectively. By loosening the nuts on the bolts 12, it is obvious that these clutch members may be disengaged and the supporting members 11 swung about the pivot bolts 12 to any desired angular position. By again tightening the nuts, the clutch members will hold or lock the supporting members 11 in adjusted position.

By refeience to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the axis about which the baille or deflector 10 may thus be angularly adjusted is a horizontal axis which is substantially parallel with the bend 5i in the curtain 5.

In front of the flight controlling apparatus,y above described, I propose to locate a low fence or barrier 14, between the apparatus and the tee, so as to prevent the ball from being driven from the tee beneath the curtain 5. Also below the curtains 2 and 5 and between the side members of the frame 1, I provide an inclined surface 15 sloping rearwardly in a direction away from the tee. These elements 14 and 15 are similar to and serve the same purpose as corresponding elements shown and described in my above mentioned prior application.

Also as in said prior application, I propose to depict on the iront or the curtains 2 and 5, suitable scenery and representations of a green and various bunkers or other hazards to add to the attractive appearance of the apparatus. Also, in some cases, and where feasible, I propose to so arrange the layout of the grounds that there is provided behind the said curtains and deflectors a fairway having a green and bunkers or other hazards corresponding in position with those depicted upon the curtain.

In Fig. 7, I have attempted to illustrate this. In this figure, 16 designates the tee, and the other parts are indicated by the reference characters already described in the previous gures. The fairway is indicated at as, and A designates a green, B bunkers, and C, trees or shrubbery. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that I may depict on the lower portion 5lu of the curtain 5 and also on the curtain 2, a green a, bunkers b, and trees or shrubbery c, all in the same relative location as they appear on the actual grounds behind the curtains. In Fig. 7, D designates a sand trap or the like.

In operation, it will be seen that a ball driven from the tee 16 may, by a skilful shot, be caused to pass under the arched portion 3 of the curtain 2, so that it will strike against the inclined curtain 5. From thence, it will be deiiected upwardly and impinge against the baille l0, and by this baille, be deflected downwardly again to the fairway, all as indicated by. dotted lines in Fig. 7. It will also be obvious that a shot driven at a slightly different elevation will strike the curtains 5 and lil at slightly diiierent angles and will thus be deflected downwardly at a different point, perhaps into the sand trap D, or perhaps nearer to the green A. Should the shot strike thecurtain 2, or should it strike the portionb of the curtain 5 at a point below the bend 5a thereof, it will drop down upon the inclined surface 15 and roll underneath the curtain 5b rearwardly and out upon the fairway.

From an inspection or" Fig. l, it will be understood that the two curtains 2 and 5b constitute a substantially vertical barrier having an opening therethrough formed by the arched edge 3 oi the curtain 2, and that it is the object of the player to drive the ball through this opening. After passing through this opening, the ball is dei'iected first upwardly and then downwardly onto the fairway.

In order to prevent a violent rebound of the ball, I preferably cover the side members oi the frame l with soft packing, as shown at ln in Fig. 5 and I may, in practice, paint or otherwise ornament these padded traine members so as to cause them to conform wi' .i the rest of the .scenery .epicted upon the curtains.

As shown in Fig. 7, I also preferably mount an inclined stop or net l'D above the curtain 2, so as to prevent excessively high shots from going out of bounds. Y v

It will be understood that the freely hanging curtains 2V and 5 will yield to such an extent as to prevent any appreciable rebound o the balls thereiroiasuch balls merely being arrested by the curtains and dropping down upon the surface l5. It will also be understood that the upper portion of the curtain 5 may be put under tension by lacing or other suitable means in order to provide a smooth and resilient surface from which the balls may be deflected. While I have shown the deflectors 5 and l0 as formed of curtains or fabric, it is obvious that other materials may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. Means for controlling the flight of a golf ball comprising a substantially vertical yieldable barrier having an opening therein, and angularly adjustable ineans behind said barrier for deflecting a ball passing through said opening.

2. Means for controlling the flight of a golf ball comprising a substantially vertical yieldable barrier having an opening therein, and an angularly adjustable baille behind said barrier for deiecting downwardly a ball passing through said opening. Y

3. Means for controlling the flight of a golf ball comprising a substantially vertical yieldable barrier having an opening therein, a rearwardly and upwardly inclined surface behind said opening, and an angularly adjustable deflector above said surface.

4. Means for controlling the ilight of a golf ball comprising a substantially vertical barrier consisting of upper and lower free hanging curtains, theY bottom edge of the upper curtain havan irregular ccntounand the upper portion of the lower curtain being inclined rearwardly behind said irregular bottcrn edge, whereby balls passing under said edge strike against said inclined portion and are deflected.

5. Means for controlling the night o a golf ball comprising a substantially vertical barrier consisting of upper and lower free hanging curtains, the bottom edge of the upper curtain having an irregular contour, and said lower curtain being bent rearwardly about a horizontal line adjacent the said irregular edge and at the rear thereof to constitute an angularly disposed deflecting surface against which the balls passing under said irregular edge impinge.

6. A deflecting device for golf balls comprising a supporting frame, a curtain carried by said frame and having a `freely hanging lower portion, the upper portion of said curtain being bent over and inclined rearwardly, the curtain' adjacent the bend being supported from said frame wholly by its side edges, and means for putting such portion of the curtain under tension, whereby a convex resilient surface is presented to the balls. f

'7. Means for controlling the flight' of a golf ball comprising a curtain having a vertical, freely hanging lower portion and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined upper portion, and a substantially horizontal flat deilector disposed above said inclined portion.

8. Means for controlling the flight of a golf ball comprising a curtain having a vertical, freely hanging lower portion, the upper portion of said curtain being bent over and inclined rearwardly, and a flat deflector disposed above said inclined portion, said delector being angularly adjustable about a horizontal axis substantially parallel with the bend in said curtain.

ROBERT E. ADAMS. 

